Improvement in ore-separators



J. H. PADDOGK. Ore-Separator Patent ed Aug. 26,1879.

[2x M972 tar.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN PADDOOK, OF ST. J OHNSBURY, VERMONT.

IMPROVEMENT IN ORE-.SEPARATORS. v

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 218,896, dated August26, 1879; application filed February 28, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J on: H. PADDO'OK, of St. J ohnsbury, Caledoniacounty, State of Vermont, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Ore-Separators, of which the following isaspecification.

In the drawings annexed, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improvedmachine. Fig. 2is a longitudinal section of the upper part, and Fig. 3 aplan thereof.

Myinvention is an improvement on that class of machines such as patentedto Thos. J. Ghubb August 20, 1857, the titleto the e2;- tended term ofwhich, and to the Reissue No. 5,033, granted. thereon, being now vestedin myself. In this class of machines the pulverized ore is fed over aninclined and grated bed,through which pulsations of air are forced,which causethe ore to separate in layers arranged according to theirspecific gravities, the heavy "or more metallic particles gravitating tothe bottomand running to themost inclined side,where they are delivered,while the lighter particles rise to the top and are delivered from thehigher side,

My improvements aimto render the action of these machines more sure andeffective, and adapted to various kinds of ore, by enabling suchadjustments of the bed or table to be obtained also the position of thefeedin g-hopper and the inflowing stream of ore tobe so con-" trolled,aswill enable the point of separation to be so regulated as to occur ator near the point of delivery; and also in such a construction of theair-chamberor bellows as will a1- low of its air-holding capacity beinglncreased or diminished at will, or allow of the ore-bed,

forming its top, being set at varying distances fromjts air-forcingpart, whereby the effect of the blast may be varied, thus causing themachine to act with certainty and without waste on different ores. v v vThe general constructionof the machine,.as shown in the drawings, withthe exception ofthosefeatures which constitute the present invention, issubstantially the same asshown in the aforesaid patent to Ohubb, andalso in the latter patents grantedto the said Ohubb, September 1 andOctober 13,1857.

at is the table or bed of the machine, formed in the usual way, and setat a slight incline both sidewise and lengthwise. The dry pulverized oreis fed into the hopper at one end, and, after traversing the bed, isdelivered from the opposite end in a separated condition through thethree deliveries c d c, as shown, the metallic or heavy particles beingdelivered at the lower corner, the more earthy particles, ortailings,being discharged at the higher corner, while the middlings issue fromthe center, the different streams being properly divided and directed bythe pivoted sluices or partitions a: m in the manner usual in thesemachines. v v

The bed of the table is formed of strong cloth, a, through which thepulsations of air are forced, and on this anumberof gratings or diagonalbars, I) f, are fixed, the lower bars,

1), running toward the inclined side of the bed,

while the upper bars, f, run at a reverse inclination to the oppositeside of the machine. The spaces between the lower bars form channels,into which the heavier particles. gravitate, and are thereby guided tothe lower or ore-discharge corner, while the earthy particles risebetween the upper bars, and are guided in an opposite direction to theoutlet for the tailings and middlings in the usual manner. I v The clothbed a rests on the grated plate g,

fixed on the top of the air-chamber or bellows h, its bars correspondingwith the lower bars, b,'on the upper side of the cloth, which is thusclamped between thetwo gratings, as shown, while the air is forcedthrough the cloth in the spaces between the bars.

The air-chamber is divided beneath the ta ble, as shown in Fig. 2, intoseveral distinct sections or cavities, 1', each forming an inde pendentbellows to actuate a distinct area or section of the cloth bed, andthese bellows are operated by the rods k k, which are actuated bymechanism within the hollow base of the machine, as shown in Fig. 1,from which the driving-pulley 1 extends and by which power is applied tothe machine. p

In the improved machine, as shown in; Fig. 2, I prefer to divide theair-chamber bya cen tral longitudinal and transverse partition into fourchambers, each forming a separate bel lows, the bottom or movable partof which is preferably formed by a diaphragm of rubber, m, fixed to theedges of the air-chamber and to its partitions, as shown.

Now, in my improved machine the base is adapted to be fixed firmly tothe floor or other support, while the table or bed is made universallyadjustable with reference to the airchamber or bellows and fixed part ofthe machine, so that any inclination may be given to the table, whichconstitutes the main feature of myinvention. The frame or top a, onwhich the table or ore-bed is mounted, is connected, as shown, with theair or bellows chamber by the flexible leather or rubber sides 0 0, andwhich, as will be observed, enable the table to be inclinedeitherlengthwise or sidewise, or in both directions, but withoutallowing any escape of air except through the cloth bed.

Screws 19 project from the sides of the aircharnber nearits fourcorners, and pass through short brackets 'r r projecting from thecorresponding corners of the frame, while nuts .9 s are fitted upon thescrews above and below the, brackets, so that by turning these nuts anydesired inclination, either lengthwise or crosswise, or both combined,may be given to the bed, which at the same time will be firmly held inthe desired adjustment, as will be readily understood.

It is found that different ores require different inclinations of thebed, both lengthwise and crosswise, in order that separation shall occurquickly and perfectly, and also that the point of separation shall occuras near as possible to the point of delivery, for some ores separate ata much shorter travel than others, so that one kind of ore would becomeseparated and again mixed before it reached the outlet with the sameadjustment of the bed which would be correct for another kind of ore. Itwill be seen, however, that the universal adjustment which myimprovement provides adapts the machine for all kinds of ores, andrenders its separating action always certain and effective.

Heretofore the bed of these machines has been firmly fixed to theair-chamber or bellows, and any inclination or adjustment of the bed hadto be obtained by blocking up the machine.

N ow, another feature of my invention, which also contributes to thesame result above described, consists in the adjustable hopper t, whichis capable of being moved back and forth on the bed to deliver theinflowing stream of ore at any part thereof, thus increasing ordecreasing the travel of the ore, and causing the separation to occur atthe desired point.

The hopper rests on the edges of the trough of the bed, as shown, and isprovided with slotted arms a a, which embrace the sides of the troughand are guided by pins 7;, the hopper being also fitted with a gate, 10,by which the flow of the ore is governed. Instead of a single movablehopper, a long hopper, made in a number of compartments, each fittedwith a gate, may be employed, the ore being fed into and out of eitherof the compartments, accordin g to the travel to be imparted to the ore.

A valve, 3 is preferably employed between the different sections of thebellows to allow the air to escape from one series of bellows into theother in cases where a portion of the bed will be covered with a thicklayer of ore, as when the hopper is adjusted forward, in which case thebed back of the hopper will be covered with the ore. 7

It will be readily understood that any suitable adjustable air-tightconnection of the bedframe with the bellows-chamber may be employedinstead of the flexible sides 0 0. Thus the bed-frame may be providedwith pendent sides to fit into the bellows-chamber like a box-bellows, atight joint being effected by a marginal packing or arubber curtain. Theconstruction illustrated, however, is preferred.

It has been found advantageous to vary the size of the air-chamber, soas to increase or diminish the amount of air contained in it, wherebythe steadiness of the blast may be varied to suit circumstances, as thelarger the airchamber the steadier is the blast. This can be done byraising or lowering the ore-bed on the frame, or, in other words,bringing the top and bottom of the air-chamber or bellows closertogether. This closeness of the bed to the acting part of the bellowswill also affect the power of the blast on the ore independent of theamount of air in the chamber beneath the ore-bed.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. A pneumatic ore-separator providedwith an adjustable ore-bed, connected with the airchamber or bellows byan air-tight connection, whereby the inclination of the ore-bed may bechanged without altering the position of the bellows or bellowsmechanism, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The combination, with the adjustable orebed and bellows, of theflexible sides connecting the two, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

3. The combination of the supporting-screws p p and adjusting-nuts s swith the ore-bed a and air-chamber h, having a flexible air-tightconnection, 0, substantially as herein shown and described. I

4. The combination, with an ore-separator, of a hopper adjustable overthe bed, whereby the ore may be delivered at different points over saidbed, substantially as and for the pur poses set forth.

5. An ore-separator provided with an orcbed and an air-chamber orbellows, combined with suitable adjusting devices,.whereby the ore-bedmay be set at varying degrees of distance from the acting part of thebellows, substantially as specified.

6. In an ore-separator, the combination of an air-chamber or bellowswith adjusting devices attached to its casing, whereby a portion of saidcasing may be extended to ingraduated without changing the position ofcrease its air-holding capacity independent the air-forcing parts,substantially as deof the air-forcing parts, substantially as described;

scribed.

7. In combination with the bed of an ore- JOHN PADDOGK' separator, anair-chamber or bellows having Witnesses:

independently-adjustable walls, whereby the CHAS. M. HIGGINS,

capacity of said bellows or chamber may be JOHN E. GAVIN.

